Cubs add to bullpen, acquire lefty Holland from Giants
MILWAUKEE - The Chicago Cubs addressed one of their needs Friday ahead of next Wednesday's trade deadline.
They obtained left-handed reliever Derek Holland and a cash consideration from the San Francisco Giants for a cash consideration.
"He's throwing the ball really, really well against lefties," said team President Theo Epstein. "It's been a long track record of success against lefties, especially this year. He's really been dominant against them.
"He's an experienced guy. He wants the ball. He's really eager for this opportunity. Running out of the bullpen at sold-out Wrigley Field gets him excited, doesn't scare him at all. I talked to him today. He couldn't be happier to be joining the Cubs. He expressed a willingness and an eagerness to embrace any role and to contribute any way he can. He's excited. We're excited."
To make room on the roster, the Cubs designated reliever Tim Collins for assignment.
Holland is likely to join the Cubs in time for Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.
Holland, 32, has pitched exclusively in relief for the Giants since mid-May and overall has limited left-handed hitters to a .182 batting average (14-for-77), .276 on-base percentage, .195 slugging mark and .471 OPS. Among all National League pitchers against left-handed hitters this year, Holland has allowed the second-lowest slugging, third-lowest OPS and seventh-lowest batting average.
After coming up with the Texas Rangers in 2009, Holland pitched for the White Sox in 2017.
For his career, he is 78-77 in 275 games (221 starts) with a 4.51 ERA and a WHIP of 1.37. He gives the Cubs an experienced left-hander to go along with Kyle Ryan.
Happ is back:
Ian Happ came up from Class AAA Iowa and started in left field. He made a diving catch of Mike Moustakas' flyball down the line to end the first inning.
Happ, who spent most of the last two seasons with the Cubs, was optioned to Iowa at the end of spring training.
In 99 games at Iowa, he had a line of .242/.364/.432 with 16 homers and 53 RBI. In 359 at-bats, the switch hitter walked 65 times and struck out 113.
"It was definitely difficult to be away from the team and to be away from this," he said. "But a really good group of guys down there, really good coaching staff, minor-league coordinators, a really good support system. Getting my body ready to do that with a really good group of guys that's winning a lot of baseball games, I would say it was rewarding."
Both manager Joe Maddon and Theo Epstein praised Happ for keeping a positive attitude.
"It's a job," Happ said. "You're a professional, and when you're asked to do something, you're asked to get better, you do your job and that was a big part of it."
Not the end for Russell?
Theo Epstein said he does not believe Addison Russell has played his last game for the Cubs. Russell was optioned to Iowa this week after a spate of poor play that included several mental errors.
"I think we had hoped Addison would have put things together and by now be playing at a higher level, his accustomed level," Epstein said. "He just went through a stretch where we needed a little bit out of him just in terms of focus and attention to detail and to get locked in. I think that can still happen. We all felt it was the appropriate move to let him do that in Iowa and see if that part of his game can get a little bit better.
"That move doesn't necessarily carry any type of permanence. We expect him to be back."
One more for Hamels:
Left-hander Cole Hamels (oblique strain) threw a bullpen session Thursday, and he will make a rehab start Sunday for Iowa. If that goes well, it's possible he could come off the injured list next weekend and pitch against the Brewers at Wrigley Field.